Facebook has been creating a “lite” version of its main app since 2015, giving users with slower phones and poor internet connections a more decent way to access the social network. Now, the company has launched Facebook Messenger Lite for Android, a lighter version of the Messenger app.
In a blog post on Monday, Facebook said the app “offers the core features of Messenger for shopping on slower internet speeds.”
The app is less than 10MB in size and includes Messenger features like sending and receiving text messages, photos and links, and downloading stickers. Just like the Facebook Lite app, the Facebook Messenger Lite icon has the colors reversed: It's blue on white instead of white on blue.
One feature that Facebook doesn't mention is the potential positive impact on battery life. Those who have experimented with using Facebook Lite instead of the regular Facebook app have noticed that their phone's battery has lasted much longer. It will be interesting to see if Messenger Lite extends battery life.
However, not all users are able to switch to the Lite versions of the Facebook app. Facebook Lite is not available on iOS, nor is Messenger Lite. It makes sense, given that Facebook's target audience for the apps is people with slow, old Android phones and poor connections. But given the impact on battery life, it would be nice to have a Lite option on iOS as well.
Facebook Messenger Lite has been launched in Kenya, Tunisia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Venezuela. It will be available in “other countries in the coming months,” Facebook said.
